“Five games should not be the minimum sanction,” said Lord Ouseley. “It should be 10 games, because it should be consistent with what Uefa is doing. We’ve always prided ourselves that we’ve been ahead of the thinking on punishment. Now we find ourselves behind Uefa, rather than alongside them.”
The Board of Deputies agreed, saying: “Uefa got it right and the FA independent tribunal did not”.
The CST also urged the FA to “strengthen its own powers”, calling a 10-match ban the “new standard in tackling racist abuse”.
The controversy over the reasoning provided by the FA’s independent commission centres on its conclusion that Anelka was not himself antisemitic or intended to promote antisemitism. The commission, chaired by Christopher Quinlan QC, provided no explanation for how it had reached this judgement.
Lord Ouseley also criticised Anelka’s club, West Bromwich Albion, saying that it had hid behind the FA and not taken “full responsibility” for the player who had acted in a racist and antisemitic way.
Anelka was found in breach of two FA anti-discrmination rules after performing the quenelle gesture - a form of Nazi salute - during a Premier League match in December.
He had denied the charges.
